A Very Good Day

I was pretty low when I answered those questions the other day. Thanks to those insightful enough to see it and email me. I appreciate it. It was parenting angst which I shall not dwell on today because it was a perfect day.

This morning we got up and went to a camp near Pepin, Wisconsin to their "Maple Syrup Day." On the way we saw a sign for the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder and took a 14 mile detour to see the site of the Little House in the Big Woods. I loved those books as a child I read them over and over. Laura was my friend, and to walk on the land that she played on as a little girl was surprisingly emotional for me. There is a little reproduction cabin that is open to tourists (although it is empty and not staffed) and we went in and saw the small space in which a family of 4 lived. I could almost see the onions hanging from the rafters and the jars of canned goods on a shelf in the corner.




On to the camp, then, where we got to taste the sap of a sugar maple (the taps look like little spigots and the sap looks like water and was not as sweet as I expected). It takes 40 gallons of sugar maple sap to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup. We ate the syrup on delicious pancakes and if you've never had the real thing I recommend it.



The kids had the opportunity to try archery and climb the big climbing wall, and they made friendship bracelets at the Arts & Crafts area. A total blast. Now all of them want to go to summer camp. We are accepting donations. Email me and I'll give you my PayPal address. LOL






Stopped at LARK Toys for a birthday gift and then home to Rochester where I checked my email and found that my candidate for Chair had prevailed in a contested election at our DFL County Convention. Plus a really awesome guy was elected Affirmative Action Representative and I think he is going to do amazing things to draw in some of the immigrant and minority community members which are underrepresented in our party.

Off to a birthday party at Quarry Hill Nature Center, and to see the "Creatures of the Deep" exhibit, which ends Monday, March 31. It is awesome. I have never even imagined a turtle 16 feet wide.




We stopped at the grocery store for avocado and lettuce and all the ingredients for Dirt Dessert, and we are home now, getting ready to have BLTs (with avocado) and oven fries for dinner. A quiet evening together for all of us and possibly a glass of wine with my husband after the kids are in bed.

I saw 2 robins today as we were driving in Wisconsin, the temps today climbed to near 50 degrees, the snow is almost gone, and I feel spring is on its way.

A very good day, indeed.